Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum : Centella + Vita C Versus Skinmade 15% Vitamin C + Bio Stemcell Super Brightening Serum

Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum : Centella + Vita C Versus Skinmade 15% Vitamin C + Bio Stemcell Super Brightening Serum

This brightening serum is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and calm redness.

This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Centella Asiatica Extract

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Glycerin

Propanediol

Betaine

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Methyl Trimethicone

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Panthenol

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract

Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract

Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract

Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Water

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Silica

Bisabolol

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Xanthan Gum

Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate

Adenosine

Fructooligosaccharides

Beta-Glucan

Butylene Glycol

Sorbitan Isostearate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Maltodextrin

Arginine

Carbomer

Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Ethylhexylglycerin

Centella Asiatica Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Betaine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Methyl Trimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Panthenol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Water, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Bisabolol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Adenosine, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Maltodextrin, Arginine, Carbomer, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Punica Granatum Seed Cell Culture Lysate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Niacinamide

Diglucosyl Gallic Acid

Alpha-Arbutin

Ellagic Acid

Tranexamic Acid

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine

Tetrapeptide-30

Oligopeptide-68

Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid

Glutathione

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Silybum Marianum Extract

Brassica Rapa Root Extract

Morus Alba Root Extract

Acetyl Glucosamine

Allantoin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Glyceryl Stearate

Caprylyl Glycol

Ceramide AP

Disodium EDTA

Squalane

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Sodium Oleate

Ferulic Acid

4-Butylresorcinol

Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Punica Granatum Seed Cell Culture Lysate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Niacinamide, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Ellagic Acid, Tranexamic Acid, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Tetrapeptide-30, Oligopeptide-68, Hydroxyphenoxy Propionic Acid, Glutathione, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Brassica Rapa Root Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Squalane, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Sodium Oleate, Ferulic Acid, 4-Butylresorcinol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.

Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:

In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.

The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.

A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.

Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).

Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

Hydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.

As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.

Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.

This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.

You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.

Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.

An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.

So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.

Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.

This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).

Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.

Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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